Sled-propeller.



10.670,526. Patented mar. 2s, |901.

A. M. BANKS. Y

l SLI-:n PnoPELLEn.

(Application med July 10, 1900.:

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V a w I b l\ n Y l l u r A ab A QS A n n e N5 @Q g N- A 'l l l N J M JJ @www wm mm n irc/MEM Btl/E53 g :i 4 r A @Ms No. 670,526. Patented Mar. 26, 190|. A. M. BANKS.

SLED PRUPELLEB.

(Application led July 10. 1900.) (No Modeii) 2 She'ets-Sheetz.

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UNITED* STATES PATENT* FFICE- Anci-HE M. BANKS, oF 4TAcoMA, WASHINGTON.

sLED-PROPELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,526, dated March 2e, 1901. Applicationliled July 10, 1900. Serial No. 23,163. (No model To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ARCHIE M. BANKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, (post-office address Lake View, Washington,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sled-Propellers; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in skating-machines, aud has particular reference to vehicles which are adapted to move upon runners and may be manipulated so that the runners or skates will be actuated to propel the device.

It consists in a machine having a suitable frame, runners or skates for supporting the same, and a propelling mechanism connected'v with the said runners or skates comprising a crank-shaft, pitmen connecting the cranks of the shaft with the skates, and means carried by the skates for engaging a surface over which the machine is traveling, whereby the reci procation of the skates will operate to propel the machine forward.

It also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed. A

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents atop plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 represents aside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View of a portion of the skating-machine, parts of the frame being broken away to better show one of the skates. Fig. 4 represents a top plan view of a machine adapted tobe propelled by foot-power. Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail cross-section through 4one of the runners or skates.

A machine built in accordance with this invention may be constructed so as to be propelled by mechanical power or by -foot-power applied by .an individual riding upon the same.

In Figs. l and 2 of the drawings I have shown the machine as adapted to be operated by any suitable motive power, while in Figs.

4 and 5 of the drawings the device is provided with a propelling mechanism similar te that commonly used upon bicycles.

In carrying out the features of -the invention the skating-machine comprises, preferably, a frame, as l, of any suitable structure, and a series of supporting skates or runners 2 2. The frame l may be considerably lightened by cutting out large portions of the same, as illustrated in the drawings. The skates or runners 2 2 are provided with upwardly-extending standards 3 3, which project through longitudinally-arranged slots or openings 44in the frame 1. Thesestandards 3 3 are connected with the motive power in such a manner that the skates may be moved back and forthin the slots 44 for propelling the machine. About centrally of the frame l and transversely thereof I mount a 'power-,shaft 5, whichissupportedin suitable bearings66,car ried by the said frame. The shaftis provided with suitable cranks,as 7 7, which are connected with the standards 3 3 of the skates or runners by pitmen 8 8. The pitmen 8 8 are pivotaglly connected with the standards by means of bolts, as 9 9, and spacing-sleeves, as lO l0 andll 11, are interposed between the ends of the pitmen and the said standards 3 3. The length f the spacing-sleeves 10 10 and 11 11 is regulated to accommodate the pitmen to the positions of the cranks 7 7 on the crankshaft. Thus the sleeves ll 11 at the rear of the machine are longer than the sleeves 10 10 at the forward end of the'machine, since the bolts passing through the said sleeves 11 11 are connected with pitmen which extend to the innermost cranks 7 7. By this arrangement the pitmen will not conflict with each other when the crank is actuated. The crankshaft 5 may be provided with a centrally-arranged power-receiving crank, as 12, which may be connected with any suitable source of power (not shown) for rotating the crankshaft 5. The rotation of said crank-shaft will, by means of the cranks 7 7 and the pitmen 8 8, cause the skates or runners to reciprocate in.

the slots 4 4. In order that the skates or run- IOO other surface over which the machine is being propelled. A simple manner of securing the dogs to the runners is illustrated in the drawings, from which it will be seen that the said dogs are bifurcated, as at 14E 14, so as to receive the rear edge of the runners, a pivotpin, as 15 15, securing each of the dogs to its respective runner. The dogs 13 13 are held in engagement with the surface of the ice or other substance over which the machine is traveling by means of springs, as 16 and 17, which are interposed between the said dogs and the pitinen S S. In order to attach the springs to the said pitmen, theyare provided with laterally -projecting arms, which are made of sufcient length to extend over the slots 4 4. The springs 16 and 17 may thus eX- tend down ward ly through the said slots to the dogs 13 and will not be interfered with by any of the working parts. These springs serve to hold the dogs in engagement with the traction-surface, so that a positive hold will be obtained upon the same at each forward movement of the skate. Icontemplate using either a coiled spring, as at 1G, or a flat steel spring, as at 18, and at either end of the machine, as may be found most desirable.

In order to support the frame l upon the skates in such a manner that there will be little or no friction between the parts, I interpose between the said runners and the frame antifrictionrollei-s, as 19 19. These rollers 19, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, are arranged upon each side of the skate, so as to engage the frame 1 upon each side of the slots 4 4. These antifriction-rollers make it possible for the skates to be moved back and forth readily beneath the frame which they support. At a suitable point I provide a guiding skate or runner 20. This is preferably located at the forward end ofthe frame 1 and has a guiding standard or stem, as 21, which projects upwardly through a suitable bearing in the frame 1 and may be provided at its upper end with a guiding handle or lever, as at 22. It will be apparent that tillerropes might be secured to such a handle or lever, if desired, and run to any point upon the frame of the machine, so that the person guiding the machine need not necessarily loe` at the front of the same.

In manufacturing machines of this kind they may be made quite light, if desired, and may be so arranged as to be propelled by footpower. As seen in Figs. 11 and 5 of the drawings, for instance, the machine may be provided with a propelling mechanism similar to that used upon bicycles. In arranging for this manner of propulsion a sprocket-wheel, as 23, can be secured to the drivingshaft and may be connected by means of a sprocketehain 24 with an actuating sprocket-wheel 25. The sprocket-wheel25is supported upon a suitable shaft 26, iinding bearings, as at 27 27, in standards upon the frame l. The shaft 26 carries at each end a crank-arm, as 28 28, which are furnished with pedals, as

29 29, of any desired type. A seat 30,adjustably supported upon the frame 1, is pref erably arranged at a proper position above the pedals 29 29. This seat may be ol' the type ordinarily used upon bicycles, and its supporting-post 31 may be adjnstably mount ed in a standard 32, as illustrated `in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This driving-gear is pref'- erably arranged sui'iicient ly near to the guide post 21 so that the occupant of the saddle 30 will be within easy reach of the handle-bar 22. By this simple arrangement the ice-ma chine may be propelled by a person and also guided by him, if desired.

The skates or runners may be made in any suitable manner, and l prefer to form them, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, of two outer plates and an intermediate spacing-block 34, the parts being firmly bolted or otherwise secured together. The spacing`- block 34 is iliade 'narrower than the plates 33, so that the said plates project below the spacing-block, forming a groove between them, and the edges of the plates are thus left `so prominent as to form the wearingsurfaces of the skates or runners. The runners constructed in this manner, with grooves or gutters in them, take hold of the traction-sur face, so that the machine is not easily swerved from its proper course.

From the foregoing description the operation of the machine will be readily under stood. The revolution of the crankshaft 5 causes first one set and then the other set of the runners to be forced forward. When going forward beneath the frame 1, the dogs 13 slide over the traction-surface until the skates stop their forward movement and begin a rearward motion. rPhe sharp engaging points of the dogs then hold the skates from retreating upon the traction-surface and the machine is propelled forward with respect to the same. By the arrangement of the cranks one pair of the skates is always holding the machine against rearward movement, while the other pair of skates is moving lforward to obtain a new hold for further propulsion.

The machine is exceedingly simple in its construction and arrangement and not likely to get out of order. It can be supplied with various kinds of power for operating the propelling mechanism without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A skating-1nacl1ine, comprising a suitable frame, reciprocating runners arranged in tandem, one behind the other, and so as to support the frame, traction engaging means carried by the said runners, and means upon the frame for reciprocating the runners toward and away from each other, whereby a forward motion of the machine may be secured.

2. A skating-machine, comprising a frame, runners arranged one behind the other ou each side of the machine, and supporting the IOO ITO

-fifi-1 frame, a power-shaft carried by the machine and connected with the said runners, and surface-,engaging dogs .carried by the runners, the structure being such that the runners may be reciprocated with respect to the frame of the machine so as to move to and from each other for propelling the same.

3. A skating-machine, comprising a frame, runners supporting the same and extending upwardly through guiding-slots formed in the machine for directing the runners'in a backand-forth movement, a crank-shaft mounted upon the frame,pitmen connecting the cranks of the said shaft with the runners, surfaceengaging dogs carried by the runners, and means interposed between the said pitmen and said dogs for holding them in engagement with the surface traveled, the construction being such that upon rotating the crank-shaft the runners will be moved back and forth for propelling the machine.

4. A skating-machine, comprising a frame, supporting runners mounted beneath the same, an tifriction means carried upon the upper edges of the runners and supporting the frame, a crank-shaft provided with cranks upon the said frame, pitmen connecting the cranks with standards on the runners, surfaceengaging dogs carried by the said runners, and springs interposed between the pitmen and the dogs for holding the latter in engaging con tact with the traction-surface, substantiallyT as described.

5. A skating-machine, comprising a frame having longitudinalguiding-slots formed therein, runners underneath and engaging bearing-surfaces on the frame for supporting it, standards upon the said runners projecting upwardly through the guiding-slots of the frame,acrank-shaft mounted upon the frame, cranks formed therein, pitmen secured to the said cranks and pivotally connected with the standards of the runners, surface-engaging means carried by the said runners, and means for guiding the machine, the structure being such that upon rotating the crank-shaft some of the runners will be movedforward to obtainV a new hold upon the traction-surface,

while the others engage the said surface, sov

that the machine is pushed forward with respect to the same, substantially as described. 6. A skating-machine, comprising a frame,

reciprocating,runners arranged one behind face, so that they will not slip rearwardly over the same, means for actuating the crankshaft, comprisinga sprocket-wheel mounted thereon, a sprocket-chain connecting the said wheel with an actuating sprocket-wheel, an actuating sprocket-wheel, a shaft carrying the same, pedals secured to the said shaft, and a seat for supporting. the operatorabove the pedals, the structure being such that by actuating the pedals the crank-shaft may be caused to reciprocate the runners toward and away from each other on each side of the frame, and thereby propel the machine.

7. A skating-machine, comprising'a frame, reciprocating runners arranged one behind the other on each side of the machine and supporting the frame, surface-engaging 'means secured to each of the runners, means for reciprocating the runners, comprising a shaft having double oppositely-arranged cranks on each side of the frame, pitmen connecting the runners with the cranks so that some of the runners are moved in one direction while the others engage the surface traveled and are pushed against in the opposite direction, a guiding-runner mounted beneath the frame,a guiding stem or standard therefor, and a handle-barfor turning the same,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARCHIE M. BANKS.

Witnesses:

FRANK J. MILLER, A. R. BAKER. 

